The Project ResQu Helicopters Can Identify Invasive Weeds in the Rainforest

Project ResQu is an initiative that aims to use tiny autonomous helicopters to identify invasive weeds in the tropical rainforests of Queensland in Australia's far north. Hunting the weeds down will help preserve local plant life in the area. The project is the brainchild of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO).

The helicopters have been used to survey parts of rainforests, and proved highly effective in picking out specific species of invasive needs. They are capable of autonomously navigating obstacles while capturing images of the location for review.

Project ResQu allows scientists and authorities to review footage whenever they're able to rather than have to take to the skies in regular helicopters and identify weeds by naked eye, a time-consuming, expensive and inefficient process.